Alone
by The-Last-Timelord95
Summary: A brief story of what happened to Sophia after she had become separated from the group. She survived with the help from a lonely stranger.
1. Chapter 1

"We will get you all cleaned up Jake." The women clung to her dog, applying pressure to his paw that had been been bit by a walker. "That's a good boy, we are going to get you all nice and better." Jake was a young black lab, with a medium build. The women had found him on the road by himself a few months ago and had taken him in. She had been by herself for a while and was starting to feel lonely and craved a little companionship. It was hard at first, but she managed to form a bond with the dog after all they had been through these last few months; dealing with walkers, cannibals, and starvation. Whenever Jake looked at her, it was easy to see he had love and trust in his new owner. His brown eyes had that same look now, even though she didn't see the walker on the ground in time before it took a chunk out of the animal.

Jake howled in pain as the women held his paw in place, hoping to somehow control the flow of blood. "I should of seen it, I am so sorry my boy." She kissed his head and rocked him back and forth, "We are going to get through this, we are going to get through this." the women whispered into the dog's ear. The cloth she wrapped her dog's paw in was soaked in blood and was beginning to drip down her leg. "Just close your eyes my boy and try to sleep, think of a nice warm bed, cause that's what I am going to do, when you get better, I am going to find you a bed." The women had tears rolling down her face as she held her boy close, "Please don't die, please don't die."

* * *

The women managed to stop the blood and wrap up the wound. Luckily the virus didn't cause animals to turn or else she would of had to put her friend down. Jake was sleeping on the floor of the tent she managed to find in an abandoned truck along the highway close by. She wrapped him in her blanket to keep him warm, and had her pillow under his head to make him feel more comfortable. She was boiling water over the fire which she had at a minimum glow to prevent any walkers from seeing it from a distance. They were now starting to form groups, and walk together searching for the closest living thing to rip apart. A group had found them earlier, and her and Jake had almost gotten killed, but luckily she had been quick enough to move, but not fast enough to protect Jake. She shivered and held herself close. Living in the wild wasn't going to cut it anymore, she needed to find a semi-permanent home and fast. Her and Jake hadn't had a decent meal in weeks and it was starting to show, both of their ribs were more visible than before and she could feel her body getting weaker. Tomorrow she needed to find some food.

* * *

She had woken up at the crack of dawn and covered the tent with the guts of the zombies she had killed to hide the scent of her dog. The blood had stopped, but Jake couldn't walk on it for the time being and he had to remain still. She got her crossbow ready and headed into the forest to search for her next meal. The forest was practically cleared as there was no sound of birds chirping, or the sound of a rabbit running through the grass. "There has got to be something." She searched for hours it felt like. Nothing had come across her path except for the occasional half eaten corpse which she put out of misery. Tired and hungry the women sat on the ground ready to admit defeat. "I don't know how much more of this I can take." She rubbed her temples attempting to relax herself and to try to think of an idea that could help her at this moment, but all she could think of was a nice warm meal filling up her stomach. The bushes moving to the right of her broke her concentration. She went into a crouch position with her bow ready, waiting for whatever it was to leave the bushes so she could shoot it right between the eyes. What exited the bush surprised her, it was a little girl. She was dressed in sneakers, red socks, a brown type of pant and a blue shirt with a rainbow in the middle. "What the?" The child looked around with a panic in her eyes, her eyes landed on the women.

"Please help me." The child ran over and hid behind the women. Before she could react, three walkers stumbled out of the bush the girl had left from. The women sprang into action and shot the first one right between the eyes, and moved quick and took down the other two with her knife as it would of taken a few seconds to reload the crossbow, seconds that weren't meant to be wasted. She pulled the knife out of the last walker and turned to face the child.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?"

"I got lost."

"Well get un-lost."

"I don't know where my group is."

"Not my problem." The women ripped her arrow out of the walkers head and headed back in the direction to her camp.

"Please you must help me."

"Why should I? It's not my fault you were to stupid enough to get lost." The words obviously hurt the child, you could tell by her facial expression. Oh how much she hated children, you tell them something they don't want to hear and they pout for months. She took a cloth out from her back pocket and wiped the zombie blood off her knife.

"Hey kid"

"Yes." She threw the knife and it landed right between the kid's feet. "You can follow me for the time being. But protect yourself, I don't have the time of the patience to watch little brats."

"Really?"

"Don't make me regret my decision." The women turned and began to walk. She didnt know why she caved into the child, she had rejected so many people before. It was a fend for yourself world out there, but for a moment the kid had changed her mind. The kid was fast enough and caught up to her.

"My name is Sophia."

"No one asked."


	2. Chapter 2

The women had managed to shoot a rabbit and a few squirrels as she lead Sophia back to camp. The women had gutted them and stabbed wooden sticks through them and roasted them over a fire. Sophia was watching them cook while the women changed the bandages on Jake's paw. "Still hurt my man?" Jake whimpered when she applied a little pressure to his paw. "It's alright boy, you will be fine. You will have something warm to eat soon." The women kissed her boy on the head and left him to get some rest. "How are they cooking?" It was easy to tell the women scared Sophia, she jumped whenever the women spoke or made any movement.

"I think they are cooking fine."

"That's good to hear." The women sat across from Sophia and began to clean the knife. Sophia just sat and watched her. "See something you like kid?"

"No miss."

"Well then stare at the food and not me." The women lifted her knife into the air to get a better look to see if there was any remains of zombie blood. Both of them were quiet and in their own thoughts. The women continued to clean her weapon while Sophia roasted the food and watched the fire. "What brings a kid like you out into the forest."

"What ma'am?"

"A little kid like you alone in the world where the dead roam." The women eyed Sophia, "Either you got lost, or no one wanted to take care of you anymore."

"I got separated from my group."

"So the got lost option it is." The women sheathed the knife and placed it on the ground next to her. "How did you get lost? Did your group tell you to go right, but instead you went left?"

"There were many walkers, and they found me. Rick saved me in the forest, and told me to stay. I got scared and ran off."

"So then it is your own fault you are lost, and now her you are, currently having a meal with a stranger, who may or may not have killed innocent, lonely, annoying children like you for no reason." Sophia eyes opened wide,

"You haven't have you?"

"I maybe heartless, but not that heartless."The women leaned back on her hands, "So tell me about this Rick fellow."

"The leader of our group. He has saved us multiple times."

"I bet he has." The women reached up for the food over the fire. "It is cooked enough." She ripped the squirrel meat off and handed it to Sophia. "Eat." The women reached up and grabbed herself the rabbit and ripped it in half. She then got up and walked towards the tent.

"Is someone in there?"

"None of your concern."

* * *

Night had fallen. The women and Sophia were sitting in the tent. The women didn't want Sophia in with her and Jake, but if she didn't let the kid sleep in the tent, she would be a target for the walkers, and the women didn't feel like dying just yet.

Sophia was laying beside Jake. Sophia had wrapped herself up under the blanket with Jake and patted his head. Sophia hadn't seen a dog in so long and just wanted to cherish this moment. Sophia looked over at the women. The women was sitting up looking at the opening of the tent. The women was a real beauty. She had grey eyes with a tiny bit of green in them, pale skin, shoulder length brown wavy hair that was currently up in a ponytail. She had a slender face and nice cheek bones. She was wearing a white tank top and ripped yoga pants with a pair of black hiking boots. Her outfit was stained with blood.

"What is your name?"

"Excuse me?"

"I told you my name, and you told me your dog's name, but you haven't told me your name yet."

"Because I don't feel like telling you my name." The women turned her head to continue to watch the opening of the tent.

"I bet you name is a pretty one."

"Why is that?" The women was annoyed by the kid. Usually her night consisted of her just sitting and listening for walkers to approach. Sometimes she would doze up, but when that happened, Jake would take watch and wake her when he heard something. Her nights were spent in silence, and the kid was ruining it.

"Because you are pretty."

"Just go to sleep. You are annoying me, and you chatting in Jake's ear isn't going to help him rest."

"Okay." Sophia snuggled up closer to Jake to keep herself warm. Sophia had one more thing to say to the women. "Thank you for finding me." The women just looked at Sophia and nodded her head.

* * *

"Rise and shine." The women kicked Sophia a few times to wake her up. Sophia slowly opened her eyes and blinked trying to remember where she was. "You got lost in the woods, and I found you. End of story. Now get up, breakfast is done." Sophia got up quickly and followed the women out of the tent. Sophia saw the delightful sight of some food waiting above the fire for her, the other delightful sight was seeing Jake outside the tent and next to his owner.

"Why is he up?"

"He didn't want want to sleep any longer. Wouldn't listen to me when I ordered him to stay in the tent."

"He walked by himself?"

"Yeah he did, he cried out when his paw touched the ground. I guess I am going to have to remain here for awhile as I cannot travel with a wounded animal." The women directed her gaze to Sophia, "Hurry up and eat." Sophia nodded her head and quickly took the food.

"Where did you find this?"

"Hunted it this morning. There is actually a lot of animals in these woods. They ran farther in when the walkers were prominent on the roads." They all ate their breakfast in silence.

"Are we going to find my mom today?"

"Now why would I search for her?"

"Because I miss her."

"I am going to need another answer kid."

"The group is my family, and I miss them."

"Still a terrible answer. But the sooner I find your mom, the sooner I get rid of you." The women stepped up and walked over to a bucket and washed her hands. "When you are finished wash your hands here, and wash your face with that one." The women motioned to the bucket on the other side of the tent. "Make it quick."

* * *

With much fight, the women was able to get Jake back in the tent. "Why is it covered with blood?"

"Zombie blood. Blocks the smell of the living. It's how I guarded you when I left you alone this morning." The women got her knife and bow ready. "You ready to go looking kid?"

"Will we find any geeks?" The women looked at her confused,

"What the hell is a geek?"

"The zombies."

"That is the stupidest name I have ever heard of for the walkers." The women turned away from Sophia and began to walk into the woods, "You better keep up, I walk fast." The two of them walked carefully in the woods, attempting to not draw any attention to themselves. They continued this pace for most of the day. The women was starting to get worried, there had been no sign of any walkers yet, she usually shot two to three whenever walking through the trees.

"Do you have any family?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"All died from walkers."

"Did you have a group at least?"

"No."

"Don't you get lonely?" The women stopped and turned to Sophia, "Why all the questions? Your voice will bring the walkers right to us."

"I am just curious."

"Well stop it. You are pissing me off."

"I was with my mom and dad when this all started. We were going on a trip."

"Nice to know."

"My dad hit my mom. She tried to hide it from me, but I could always hear her when she cried in her bedroom."

"What makes you think I want to know your life story? All I need to know is that your name is Sophia, and that you are looking for your mom, I don't need the background information of your life."

"I figured you would want to know."

"Why is that?"

"You are lonely, I can see it in your eyes."

"In this world, it is better to be lonely. More chance for survival." The bush moving behind them caught their attention. The women went into a crouch like position (same pose when she found Sophia) and the two waited.

"Is it a walker?" Sophia whispered into the women's ear.

"I don't know, either a walker, or a small animal." The walker stumbled out from the bush. "He's nothing to worry about." The women got out of the crouch.

"What do you mean?"

"Look at him, his bottom jaw has been torn clean off, can't bite if he doesn't have it."

"Really?"

"Really." The women covered her eyes and looked at the sky, "Sun is starting to set kid. Let's get back to the tent." The women walked over to the walker and stabbed him right between the eyes. The body went limp and collapsed onto the ground.

"I thought you said he was harmless."

"He was. That stab was just for fun."


	3. Chapter 3

"You should travel with my group."

"No."

"Why? You would be protected and kept safe. Everyone is very nice and we all get along well with each other, especially Carl and I. He is my best friend."

"Good for Carl."

"You should thi..." The women covered Sophia's mouth and forced her to the ground.

"Keep your voice down. Walkers are passing by." The women and Sophia remained still as the group of the dead stumbled past them. "Damn there is at least ten."

"Can we take them?"

"Not all of them at once, and you don't know how to wield a weapon. Just slowly backup, we will head back another way." The women held her bow up and slowly started to go backwards, "Get behind me Sophia, don't make any noise."

"Okay." Sophia ran behind the women, but in the process, she had snapped a twig that was on the ground. The sound was loud enough for the walkers to turn to find the source of the noise. Their eyes laid upon the women and Sophia, within moments they were heading right for them.

"Run!" The women pushed Sophia hard, "Head in that direction, find a tree and climb it. Do not head back to the camp, we don't want Jake in danger. I will find you."

"Okay."

"One more thing." The women tossed her knife to Sophia, "Any of them cross your path, stab them." The women turned and began to shoot the undead right in the head. Sophia followed the women's orders and headed in the opposite direction.

* * *

The women had killed five out of the ten walkers. As most of her bows we gone, and Sophia had her knife, the women had to improvise how to kill the rest. She had used a stick on the ground and jabbed it into one of their heads. She then used the dead bodies on the ground as a method to trip the walkers, then smashed their heads in with her foot. When all ten were down, the women headed into the direction Sophia had ran.

"Sophia? Where are you?" Sophia didn't respond to her call.

"Come on kid, I don't have time for stupid fun and games." Sophia still didn't respond.

"What the hell kid?" The women had her bow ready and ventured farther into the woods, hoping to find any trace of the little girl. Her hope was beginning to die. The women heard footsteps behind her. She turned around quick and lowered her bow.

"Sophia?" The girl in front of her was covered in blood, and was holding her hand on her right shoulder.

"I thought I saw my mommy." The women walked over to Sophia and saw what she knew was already there. The child had been bit.

"Sophia." The women whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

The women carried the wounded child back to the campsite. She laid Sophia on the floor of the tent and wrapped her tightly in a blanket and left her beside Jake to keep her company as the women went outside to get water and a piece of clean material to clean the wound. The women heard Sophia's soft cries from inside the tent. The women knew that this was somehow her fault, the current predicament the child was in, but the kid was also stupid enough to not follow her instructions. The women grabbed the cream that helps to fight infections and the water she just boiled and headed inside the tent.

At the moment, Sophia didn't look to bad. She still had colour to her face and didn't look as if she were suffering a fever. The only thing was looked off was the blood that had stained the blanket. The women kneeled beside the child and took a look at the bite mark. A huge chunk of skin had been ripped out of Sophia's shoulder. The walker must of just turned as it's teeth were not rotten due to the clear marks they had left in her skin.

"I thought I told you to climb a tree." The women dipped the cloth in the warm water and started to clean out the wound.

"You did." Sophia was mumbling between sobs, "But I thought I saw my mom."

"Stupid idea kid. You should of done what I told you to do, you would of survived longer."

"Am I going to turn into one of those things?" The women rinsed the cloth that had been drenched in Sophia's blood and started to clean the wound again.

"I am not going to sugar coat this for you or baby you either, something your mother did too much of. You will turn into one of them Sophia, there is nothing I can do to help you."

"Will it be painful?"

"I don't know." The women opened the ointment container and applied the cream to the wound. Sophia winced in pain,

"It hurts."

"Well of course it does, the wound is recent, and the cream is trying to fight the unnatural infection passing through your blood stream."

"How long before I turn?"

"I don't know kid." The women took her old ratty sweater and wrapped it in a ball and placed it under the child's head, "but I will be here when it happens."

* * *

The women watched the child sleep for most of the night. For a brief moment the women thought that maybe the child was somehow invincible to the virus, but her mind changed quickly as Sophia started to burn and cough up tiny amounts of blood. Jake who had somewhat healed, stayed by the child's side the entire night. He had pressed his body up against Sophia to keep her calm and he kissed few face a few times to comfort her.

"It hurts." The women wiped the recently coughed up blood off the child's face.

"I know kid, I know."

* * *

Sophia had made it through the night, but just barely. Her collar bones were now starting to protrude and her cheeks had started to sink in and she was coughing up more and more blood. The child's breathing had changed drastically and sounded very ragged.

"Jake come here." The women pointed to her side. She knew that Sophia wouldn't survive the day, and didn't want her dog in the crossfire of a new hungry walker. It was easy to tell that Jake wanted to refuse the order of his owner, but he eventually stalked his way over and laid down, out of reach of the child.

"Just close your eyes Sophia and try to get some rest."

"I can't." Sophia mumbled through her staggered breathing, "It hurts so much now."

"I know, but soon it will be all over." The women exited the tent and sat on the ground. She knew what she had to do soon. Any moment the child would turn and become a mindless monster. "Not now." the women whispered to herself, "Not when she is human and has her own mind." A noise beyond the campsite surprised the women. She quickly jumped for her crossbow and aimed.

* * *

Walkers had founded her campsite. "Shit.!" She shot the closest few and then ripped open the tent with her knife. She picked up Sophia and ran as fast as she could with Jake close beside her.

"Pain." Sophia coughed blood onto the women's shirt.

"We will be safe shortly." The women turned to see that the walkers hadn't stopped following. There was around fifteen following.

"Got to cover the trail." The women ran towards the river in the distance and walked through the water at a quickened pace. She managed to cross the river and hide before the walkers could see what direction she headed in.

"That was close." The women wiped the blood off Sophia's chin and laid the child on the ground. Her bones were now protruding out from under her skin and felt sharp. Her skin was burning hot and her skin was pale as snow.

The women got her weapons ready then headed in the opposite direction of the walkers. "Hang in there Sophia, just a little bit longer." The women continued to walk with no end in sight. All of her supplies had been left at the campground. The women collapsed of fatigue.

"You still with me kid?" Sophia didn't respond.

"Kid?" The women shook the child, but she knew it was too late. The child was now dead and would turn shortly.

"I actually started to like you." The women moved the hair out of the child's face. "Your mom is not the only one who is going to miss you." The women sat beside the child was waited. She kept herself busy by sharpening her knife, and by cleaning her cross bow. The women then heard the sounds.

The body of Sophia started to breathe and not long after the eyes opened.

Sophia was now a walker, and was ready to taste human flesh. "I am sorry kid." The women took aim and was ready to fire. "This shouldn't of happened to you."

"Wait!" The women turned quick to see who the stranger's voice was.

* * *

"Where is Otis?" Herschel was sitting with his daughter Maggie on the front porch of their farm. It was their turn to watch to see if any more of the infected were going to show up. It was just to be precautious as the farm was secured, but some did slip in at times.

"He went out hunting Maggie."

"I thought he just got back."

"He did, ran into a stranger in the woods who was about to kill a walker. Otis brought it back here to live in the farm until the virus dies down."

"Do you think it will daddy?"

"I do hope so." Herschel headed back inside the home to get himself another drink of coffee. Maggie looked out from the porch and noticed that someone was approaching quick. She lifted her binoculars to see that it was a man carrying a small boy.

"Daddy!"

* * *

The stranger had returned back to her campsite. She was relived to find that nothing had been looted. She picked up all of the required materials and headed off with her companion Jake.

"I am glad to see you are walking good boy." Jake did a silent bark(he knew that when he barked to loud the walkers would follow them. He was a pretty smart dog to figure it out on his own.)

"I am glad you are happy about it as well." The women patted the dog on his head, "It's just you and me now boy."

* * *

It seemed as if the women had given up Sophia without a fight. But in reality, the man she met in the forest by the name of Otis had promised her that the virus would be over and everyone would return back to normal. She laughed at his idea, but she couldn't deny that a part of her wished it was true. Before the man took her, she had whispered into Sophia's ear that she would find her again when the virus was cured, a promise she intended to keep. The women also answered a question Sophia had asked her earlier, what her name was.

The women's name was Sara.


End file.
